


the one that got away

by hyuckist



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Broken Hearted Renjun, M/M, No Fluff, No Moving On, One-Sided Attraction, One-Sided Relationship, Sad Ending, Time Skips, leading on, short and sad, there wasn't a tag for renjun so i made him one lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-14 04:29:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29786478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hyuckist/pseuds/hyuckist
Summary: Renjun has loved Jaemin for as long as he had known. Jaemin ends up falling for Jeno though, leaving Renjun in the dust, sad and heartbroken.
Relationships: Huang Ren Jun/Na Jaemin, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee, Lee Jeno & Na Jaemin, Park Jisung & Zhong Chenle if you want to believe it
Comments: 1
Kudos: 13





	1. the beginning.

**Author's Note:**

> this is a prompt i used from ilymoomin on youtube so go check out their videos! (yes i got permission don't come at me lol) this is short and i wrote this all in one sitting so constructive criticism is appreciated.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> kids

Jaemin and Renjun ran around the playground, switching from the exercise area to the playground and back. They were having the time of their lives and despite only knowing each other for a couple minutes, they were already best friends. Jaemin made a flower ring with a small flower he found inside of the bushes and got on one knee. 

“Renjun!!” Renjun turned to look at him, seeing Jaemin with the flower ring. He stuck his hand out and Jaemin put it on. 

“Promise me you’ll marry me when we grow older?” Jaemin asked enthusiastically. Renjun didn’t have the heart in him to say no, not that he wanted to anyways. He nodded his head, admiring his ring. It was nothing big but he knew it was special. 

“Come on!! Let's play some more!!” Renjun followed Jaemin back onto the monkey bars, swinging around again. Their parents exchanged numbers before they both went home and Jaemin felt a few tears roll down his cheeks. 

“You can play with him tomorrow okay Jaem?” Jaemin nodded sulkily, hugging Renjun before he went. He liked how well Renjun fit in his arms. 

Renjun knew he was in trouble when he felt the need to hold Jaemin a little bit tighter.


	2. the end of the beginning.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> highschool

High school was a mess. Hormones were everywhere and students struggled to keep their grades up. Jaemin and Renjun still got along well and if you saw Renjun, you would always find Jaemin tagging along behind him like a lost puppy. 

The two were inseparable and many of their friends and family thought they looked good together. Jeno, Jaemin, Chenle, Jisung, Mark, Donghyuck, and Renjun. Everyone knew the seven. The seven were always there for each other, thick and thin, cold and hot. Life-long lasting friendships were made those four years of high school. 

The seven found themselves on the rooftop, enjoying the sunset before they were blanketed in the night sky. Just as the sun went down, Renjun kissed Jaemin’s cheek lightly. No one knew except for Jaemin and Renjun. Their own little secret. 

Renjun felt like he was on top of the world those next few weeks, sharing small kisses and intimate touches with Jaemin. His heart was soaring and was in a relatively good mood. Everything came down in their last year though. 

Renjun caught Jeno and Jaemin kissing in the hallways, Jaemin’s back to the locker. If Jaemin had opened his eyes he would have seen Renjun. 

So thats what heartbreak felt like. Like losing the world. One moment he was on top and now he was struggling on the bottom. 

Renjun struggled to find the energy to do anything. He didn’t want to eat, he didn’t want to meet with friends, he didn’t want to talk to anyone. He just wanted to sleep his life away. He thought about a lot of things. “What if I had confessed to him earlier?” “What if I had been more like him?” “What have I done wrong?” Eventually, Donghyuck had enough, pulling Renjun out of his bed and throwing clothes at him. 

“It’s your last year in high school Jun, get up and enjoy it while you can.” Donghyuck left him inside his room. Renjun decided that now was the time to be happy. He knew he wasn’t going to call Jaemin “his” so he decided to live life while he could. Suppressing his emotions and the need to cry, he got dressed and met up with Donghyuck outside. He would enjoy life now and deal with all his problems later.


	3. the beginning of the end.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> college

Renjun sighed, feeling his heart get heavy. Jeno and Jaemin had started to date and Renjun was left in the dust. Jaemin never talked to him anymore, never asked to hand out with him anymore, never asked to do anything. He felt so empty, heartbroken a second time. 

“New beginnings Renjun, new beginnings.” What Renjun would do to be dating Jaemin. 

He put on his trained smile, one he had mastered over the years through pain. 

“Another year of suppressing it all Huang Renjun.” He so badly wanted to call himself Na Renjun. 

He stepped out, meeting all his friends. 

“Together?” Jaemin asked. “As always.” Renjun replied, tagging along with his friends as they walked to the college. 

Jeno and Jaemin held hands, Mark and Donghyuck were talking amongst themselves, and Chenle and Jisung were playing games with each other. Renjun felt out of place but so right at the same time. 

They got their dorm rooms and were given their keys. The seven headed out after unpacking all their things, going for some drinks and karaoke before they started. 

Mark stood up, drink in hand. 

“To a new beginning!” Everyone also raised their glasses. Just one night. 

“To a new beginning!!!” Renjun wished so badly he could be the one to kiss Jaemin after drinking their drinks. 

Donghyuck started the karaoke machine, handing the mic to Renjun. 

“Oh no Donghyuck, you know I can’t sing-” Donghyuck shoved the mic into his hands, ushering him forward. 

“Just take the damned mic and sing Renjun! We’re all drunk anyways it doesn’t matter if you mess up.” 

Renjun chose his song and began to sing. Jaemin recognized the tune immediately. It was their song, the song they would always sing together. The thing is, Renjun was singing it alone now. 

“And alone I will sing this forever from this point on.” Renjun said to himself. 


	4. the end. or is it really the end?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> marriage but not between Jaemin and Renjun

He thought Jaemin looked beautiful walking down the aisle. He felt tears welling in his eyes, watching his best friend step up to the altar. The only thing he wished for was for him to be next to him. 

Jeno was there, his smile radiating pure joy. He couldn’t help but let his tears fall one by one. Jeno wore a black suit, Jaemin wearing a white. Renjun wore a black suit as well, an emerald tie completing the look. 

He was surrounded by his friends who were all cheering for Jaemin and Jeno. For Renjun, it hurt to even clap his hands. Everything went static, his eyes welling up with tears. Everything happened so quickly, Jaemin and Jeno running down the aisle and Renjun having no choice but to follow shortly after. 

Jaemin threw his bouquet, Donghyuck catching it with ease, Mark kissing his cheek lightly. 

“Just like our secret kisses Jaem..” 

Jaemin finally got to talk to all of his friends, the biggest smile on his face that Renjun has seen in a while. “Why couldn’t I have been the one to make you smile like that?”

“Junnie!!” He turned and saw Jaemin in all his glory. Renjun thought he looked beautiful and fought the urge to kiss him. 

“How are you feeling Jaem?”

“I feel so, so elated?” It sounded more like a question, like he was doubting himself. Renjun bathed in the moment, taking his time to appreciate his features. Beautiful eyes, rosy lips, well structured face, everything. 

It’s a shame Jaemin broke their promise. 

“Congratulations Jaemin! You got to marry the love of your life haha..” The laugh sounded empty, jealous even. “I want to marry you too..” Renjun quietly whispered, Jaemin not catching it because of how loud everything was. 

“You’ll find your one Junnie! I’m sure of it. I have to go now, I love you Renjun!!!” Renjun knew he meant it platonically, the tears never stopping. “I love you too Jaemin, more than you’ll ever know.”

**Author's Note:**

> cc / hyuckvinyls


End file.
